YEDA - Youth Equestrian Development Association, Inc

09/16/2026

Let's give a warm welcome to our newest team for the 2026/2027 show season...

GRAND VALLEY EQUESTRIAN TEAM coached by Erica Vickers from Allendale, Michigan! We are thrilled to have you as part of our YEDA family! 🌟

09/15/2026

💰💵Don't miss out on turning your points into dollars this season!

Sign up for the Scholarship Incentive Fund (SIF) at 🔗 https://showyeda.com/scholarship/scholarship-incentive-fund-sif/ or at your first show!

09/14/2026

The Blue Raider Cup YEDA Show, hosted at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum is on November 14-15! This year’s event promises to be an incredible experience for riders, coaches, and families alike.

Event Highlights! 👇

🔹Four Judges – ensuring a fair, educational, and well-rounded show experience.

🔸Indoor, Climate-Controlled Venue – comfort for both horses and riders, regardless of weather.

🔹Ride the Pattern Clinic before the show! Reserve your spot today 👉 https://form.jotform.com/262447062478059

🔸Opportunity to Ride Collegiate Horses – a great hands-on experience for future college riders.

🔹On-site Vendors & Food Trucks – perfect for Christmas shopping and grabbing great eats throughout the weekend.

Team Need A Hand looks forward to hosting you for an exciting weekend of learning, competition, and collegiate connections!

09/13/2026

🌵🤠 Who doesn't love a beautiful saddle pad?! Prickly Pear is generously donating a custom saddle pad that will be raffled off at the 2026 Congress YEDA Show. Only 40 tickets 🎟 will be sold! Contact Debbie Arnold at 📩 [email protected] to purchase your tickets today! All proceeds benefit the Scholarship Incentive Fund (SIF).

Prickly Pear specializes in fun, bright, one of a kind saddle pads. High-end quality style at an affordable price! They are a mother-daughter duo that understands the love to show and all things fancy! 💠

To learn more about Prickly Pear and everything they have to offer, visit 🔗 pricklypearcustoms.com.

09/11/2026

🌟 Congress is less than a month away!! Don't miss out on your chance to win an ELECTRIC SCOOTER! 🛴

🎟 Only 100 tickets will be sold!
💲 10.00 per ticket

Tickets may be purchased at the Congress or through Debbie Arnold 📩 [email protected].

Winner will be drawn at the Congress! All proceeds benefit the Scholarship Incentive Fund (SIF). 💙

09/10/2026

Coach Spotlight: Tara Enders — Building More Than a Team ✨

When Tara Enders realized there wasn’t a YEDA team close enough for her daughter to participate, she saw an opportunity to create one.

Tara already knew something about building riders and teams.

As the coach of both the University of Michigan Stock Seat Team and the Eastern Michigan University Stock Seat Team, Tara brings collegiate coaching experience and a passion for developing thoughtful, capable horsemen to YEDA.

In 2026, she decided it was time to build a YEDA team in Southeast Michigan.

For Tara, the goal is about much more than competition. She wants riders to learn from every horse they encounter. Because YEDA riders compete on unfamiliar horses, they must pay attention, adapt, and make good decisions. Each horse becomes a teacher, helping riders develop feel, patience, confidence, and problem-solving skills.

The YEDA format also creates opportunities for young equestrians who may not own a horse or have access to the resources traditionally associated with showing. “I want to create a place where kids don’t have to own the best horse or have the biggest budget to discover just how far horses can take them.”

Tara’s new team creates another important connection: a pathway between youth equestrian participation and the collegiate horse world. Her experience with both university teams gives young riders an example of where their involvement with horses can lead.

As Tara builds her YEDA team, she is creating more than another place to compete. She is creating opportunities for young people to become better horsemen, stronger teammates, and more confident individuals.

And perhaps her story will encourage another coach, instructor, parent, or horse professional who sees an opportunity in their own community and wonders, could I start a YEDA team?

Welcome to YEDA, Tara. We’re glad you’re here. 🔹

📝 Written by Stephanie D. Wilson

09/10/2026

09/10/2026

ℂ𝕒𝕟 𝕐𝕠𝕦 ℂ𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝔸 ℝ𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕐𝔼𝔻𝔸'𝕤 ℕ𝕖𝕩𝕥 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣!

The Youth Equestrian Development Association is kicking off a new season, and there has never been a more exciting time to Catch a Ride with YEDA!

Coming off the tremendous success of our 10th Anniversary YEDA National Championship, YEDA is entering its next decade with incredible momentum, new opportunities, expanded educational programs, and an even stronger commitment to helping young equestrians find their place in the horse industry.

A Record-Setting National Championship ✨

Our 10th Anniversary National Championship at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia, was truly one for the record books.

We celebrated our largest attendance ever, welcomed a record number of student riders, and brought together YEDA families, coaches, colleges, universities, equine organizations, sponsors, vendors, and industry professionals from across the country. The Virginia Horse Center proved to be an outstanding new home for our National Championship, giving YEDA the opportunity to create an experience that went far beyond the show ring. This incredible event was made possible in part through the support of the Virginia Horse Industry Board, whose partnership helped YEDA expand opportunities for youth equestrians while showcasing the tremendous impact young riders can have on the future of the equine industry.

More Than a Horse Show ✨

YEDA’s mission has always been bigger than ribbons and championships.

Our unique catch-riding format allows students to compete without owning a horse, helping remove one of the biggest barriers to participation in equestrian sport.

No horse? No problem. Can you Catch a Ride with YEDA!

Whether a student is just beginning their equestrian journey or preparing to ride in college, YEDA provides a pathway to learn, compete, achieve, and grow. And that pathway continues to expand.

Last season, YEDA student riders received more scholarship support than ever before, helping young equestrians pursue their educational goals. This season, we are working to provide even more educational opportunities, industry connections, partnerships, and programs throughout the year.

The 2026–2027 Season Is Already Underway!

The new YEDA show schedule is up, teams are forming, and student riders are joining every day. Our first show of the season is already in the books, several more competitions are coming in September, and October will bring even more opportunities for riders to enter the ring.

If you’ve been thinking about joining YEDA, now is the time.

YEDA welcomes riders from a wide range of experience levels. You don’t need to own a horse, and you don’t need years of showing experience. You need a desire to learn, compete, become a better horseman or horsewoman, and be part of an organization dedicated to developing the next generation of equestrians.

Coaches—There’s a Place for You, Too!

YEDA continues to grow because dedicated coaches across the country are opening doors for young riders. If you’re an instructor, trainer, barn owner, equestrian professional, or someone passionate about developing youth through horses, consider starting a YEDA team in your area.

You can give students an opportunity they may never have otherwise—the chance to compete, build confidence, meet college coaches, earn scholarships, expand their equine knowledge, and discover where horses can take them.

Our Next 10 Years Start Now ✨

Ten years ago, YEDA began with an idea: give more young people access to equestrian competition and education, regardless of whether they own a horse. Today, that idea has grown into a national community. After a record-setting National Championship and an unforgettable 10th anniversary celebration, we’re not slowing down.

More riders. More education. More scholarships. More opportunities. And more ways to Catch a Ride.

The next chapter of YEDA is beginning, and we want you to be part of it.

Ready to Catch a Ride?

Find a YEDA team. Join as a student rider. Become a coach. Start a team. Follow our show season. Come see what YEDA can do for you.

Find a Team today 👉 https://showyeda.com/rules-forms/coaches-roster/

09/09/2026

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